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December 2011

It was a time to revive memories of the early years of the Smeaton RSL Sub-Branch when the regular monthly meeting of Creswick/Smeaton Sub-Branch was held at Smeaton's Cumberland Hotel on 30 November.

Jack Sewell, the only foundation member of the Smeaton Sub-Branch able to attend, recalled the creation of the Sub-Branch in 1945, when young men of the district, mostly farmers and recently returned from active service, formed the Sub-Branch under the guidance of WWI veterans Walter Risk, J.O. McRorie and Arthur Barnes. By 1946 there were eighty eight members, but these numbers were reduced over the next ten to fifteen years as many of the farming men secured soldier settlement blocks and moved on to new lives.

Bob Hardy, a long-time member of the Smeaton Sub-Branch was in attendance, as was Len Robins, who for some years worked with local builders constructing up to twelve houses a year on the newly allocated soldier settlement farms. In late 1997, after fifty-three years of regular monthly meetings, the loss of long-time honorary Secretary Jack Kohn and continuing declining membership, the Smeaton Sub-Branch was amalgamated with Creswick Sub-Branch.

The January meeting will again be held at the Cumberland hotel where all members were delighted with the meal. There was a further touch of nostalgia when it was noted that the grandfather of the Cumberland's proprietor was also a foundation member of the Smeaton Sub-Branch and her grandmother a RSL Life Member.

Ode of Remembrance

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow oldAge shall not weary them, nor the years condemnAt the going down of the sun and in the morningWe will remember them